Environmental injustices in Robinson Jeffers’s and Denise Levertov’s ecopoetry

This PhD thesis examines how the ecopoetry of Robinson Jeffers and Denise Levertov critiques environmental injustices. It analyzes their exploration of how modernity, imperialism, and environmental degradation impact both human and non-human lives and ecological balance. The research identifies a shared critical trajectory in their work, moving from describing injustices to condemning their political roots and finally proposing alternative ecological values. The thesis argues that their poetry bridges divides between urban and natural environments, different cultures, and humans and non-humans, offering a model for reconstructing anthropocentrism towards ecological integrity. It highlights their work in revealing the 'environmental unconscious' and envisioning environmental imagination and justice. The thesis is structured around three key contexts. Chapter 1 focuses on Jeffers's response to modernity, portraying the city as a source of corruption that alienates people from nature and contrasting this with the timeless values found in nature, aligning with his philosophy of Inhumanism. Chapter 2 delves into Levertov's depiction of the Vietnam War, highlighting its destructive impact and exploring her political poetry of resistance which promotes empathy and solidarity. Chapter 3 investigates how both poets address the exploitation and destruction of land and animals, using myth and figuration to represent non-human forces struggling against human injustices and affirming non-human agency and consciousness. Drawing on contemporary ecocriticism and Environmental Justice theory, the thesis reframes the poets' critiques through the lens of urban alienation, war victimization, and the exploitation of the natural world. It analyzes the emotional responses to these injustices and underscores the poets' awareness of universal interdependence. The research demonstrates how non-human elements actively counter human denial, affirming their existence and challenging the anthropocentric ideologies that perpetuate such injustices.

Curriculum

This doctoral research is structured into three main chapters, each focusing on specific aspects of environmental injustice in the work of Robinson Jeffers and Denise Levertov.

1. Chapter 1: Response to Modernity
   • Jeffers's presentation of the city as a centre for accumulating change and corruption
   • The struggle of presence within urbanization and mechanization against human instinctual freedom
   • Jeffers's philosophy of Inhumanism and affirmation of timeless, holistic values in nature
2. Chapter 2: The Vietnam War
   • Levertov's account of the Vietnam War as a source of violence and destruction
   • The presentation of victimization, loss, and emotional stasis in Levertov's poetry
   • Levertov's political poetry of resistance, encouraging empathy and solidarity
3. Chapter 3: Exploitation and Cruelty to Non-humans
   • The poets' presentations of exploitation and destruction of land and animals
   • Representation of non-human forces wrestling with human injustices through myth and figuration
   • Affirmation of non-human agency and consciousness in their poetry